Kinetics of the ultrastructural changes in apoptotic chondrocytes from an osteoarthrosis rat model: a window of comparison to the cellular mechanism of apoptosis in human chondrocytes.

It is conceivable that apoptosis plays a relevant role in the pathogenesis of osteoarthrosis. We have dissected certain ultrastructural changes in apoptosis when comparing chondrocytes from the rat osteoarthrosis-induced model to those of human osteoarthrosis. Chondrocytes displayed a typical ultrastructural pattern prevailing according to the days following osteoarthrosis induction.